


Bushido

by AvisEcho



Series: The Path Is Yours [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Pre-Canon, or at least brief talk about it, starring a very mad bear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 21:43:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11135271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvisEcho/pseuds/AvisEcho
Summary: Children are always a reckless bunch. No matter their age, they always seem to choose something dangerous or unacceptable instead of what is expected. Faced with watching Kamui make an important choice, Ryoma can’t help but remember the consequences of when his little brother chose poorly and hopes for the best.





	Bushido

 “Don't be fooled by their words. You belong with your true family in Hoshido!”

_“Big brother…”_

\------------------------

He had been thinking about the past a lot lately, especially once it was confirmed that their dear little brother remembered nothing of the short years they had been together as a family. He had always been a good child, if not a little too eager to prove himself; a trait he had been beginning to see in Takumi as well. While boys would be boys, there was a point where the fun and games became a little more serious than anyone intended for them to be. Yet his white-haired little brother had always been more open about pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable for a child his age. One time in particular had come to his mind. At the time, it certainly took the cake and resulted in a very stern scolding from their father, and also earned the disapproval of their Mother.

It had started out a simple search, Kamui had gone missing and so had one of the larger katanas that had been on display. It hadn’t taken very long for Ryoma to locate them, although it was a good thing he had when he did. The boy had been being stared down by a very angry bear, he also seemed to have sprained his ankle at some point. After taking the dropped, stolen katana, the elder prince took care of the bear before tending to his brother.

The walk home had been slow and silent until one of them spoke up.

“I wasn’t gonna do anything—I just— “ He could hear the younger stammer from his place upon the older’s back, face opting to hide itself in his brother’s mane of hair.

“Just ran off without notifying anyone or taking someone with you? Just took a sword far too large for your body without permission? Left the castle grounds even though you’ve been told it’s dangerous?

“I can take care of myself— “

“YOU ARE FIVE, KAMUI.” He instantly regretted raising his voice, feeling the small child’s face hide itself further in his back, a slight shaking to his frame. He wasn’t mad at his little brother. On the contrary, he had been just as terrified as his parents when Saizo and Kagero had failed to locate Kamui within the grounds. Ryoma was beginning to understand what his own father goes through when he did anything drastic at Kamui’s age or even now; should someone his age really need to understand such a concept so early in life?

He isn’t surprised, though.  Ryoma has always cared very deeply for his younger siblings, even Kamui. It did not matter to him that their mothers were different, they were both children of Hoshido and that was all that mattered in the end. Not to mention that as High Prince, he felt especially pressured to keep his family safe from harm in all of its forms.

“Can you at least tell me why you did it?”

“…Imffa.mnmf...”

“Kamui….”

“I wanna… be like you, Big brother…”

“You’re so strong and cool, and I just wanna be like that too. I wanna learn how to hold a sword like you and go WHOOSH with it like you do.”

“…whoosh?”

“Ah…” He felt his younger brother shift again, becoming more ball-like, or at least as much as he could while he was being carried. “Well… yeah. When you practice it’s all… like that? Like how you’re supposed to do it…”

The boy grows silent, and Ryoma stops his walk to tilt his head back towards where Kamui hid.

“I wanna be like you and Father, but I’m too young to do anything. I don’t like being too young, you can’t do anything. You just gotta sit there and let things happen, I dunt wanna do that… I wanna help keep everyone safe and happy too. But Father won’t let me practice anything like you do; even big sister Hinoka gets to practice and she’s always crying when she falls down.” He could hear the frustration in Kamui’s voice, clearly wanting nothing more than to do good for the world.

If Ryoma was allowed to feel like a father too early, then Kamui was allowed to understand the world too early regardless of how much the elder wished it wasn’t so. He was told that a child this young should have no worries or complaints; Ryoma does not recall having them either. Then again, the oldest is always the first to try new things, he never had to watch another and wait for his turn like Hinoka, Kamui, Takumi, or how Sakura would once she was old enough.

“Father and I aren’t just strong and capable with a sword, we also use our heads. Sometimes a situation can be solved without violence, that’s what your studies are for.”

“But studies are boring…”

“Yes, they are, aren’t they?  I thought they were boring too, but they can be very interesting. Did you know that bear had cubs?”

“Wait really? Where! I didn’t see’em, and how’d you know it was a girl?” He could feel his younger brother scramble to be at his shoulder, finally getting a look at those excited, crimson eyes. He could only laugh at how they sparkled with the information he had dropped.

“Yes, she did. They were hiding in the rock cropping behind her, safe from harm most likely. Her frame is much smaller and leaner than a male bear would have been. Males are much bulkier with far more muscle, not that she wouldn’t have torn you to shreds had I not found you in time.”

“You probably learned that by fighting bears….”

“Actually, it was through my studies, by the time I finally saw one face to face, I could already tell quite a few things just by looking at it.” Ryoma smiled up at his younger brother who had tilted his head in their confusion, “Knowledge is just as if not far more important than any strength with a blade could be.”

“I guess… It’s still so boring, Yukimura doesn’t make it fun at all…” The young boy huffed as he wrapped his arms around Ryoma’s neck and rested his head upon his shoulder as Ryom began to walk again.

“How about this? You continue your lessons as Father instructed, and if they are ‘too boring’ as you say, you may come to my room and I’ll help you understand in a more fun way. Does that sound like a fair deal?”

“You’ll make it fun?”

“Of course, Kamui. But you must also promise not to do something this reckless again, at least not without me accompanying you.”

“I guess I can do that…”

“Is that a promise?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry. I would never break a promise with you, big brother.”

\------------------------

And they were, years later, finally reunited once again. The small child his brother had been grown into an impressive young man who would soon tell the world that he stood with his true family. There was no doubt in his mind what choice his brother would make, with Hoshido, and not Nohr. It was a promise that would never be broken as it was where the young man belonged.

“This way.” Holding his hand out, beckoning to the brother he once thought lost forever, calling him back to them where he should be. He would not allow these Nohrians to take Kamui ever again.

_“What should I…”_

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, I like to headcanon that Kamui was around 6 or something when they were kidnapped and that both Ryoma and Xander are 7-8 years older than them. I have talked to a lot of smart 5 year olds, and some of them understand the world really well for their ages.
> 
> This one also took forever because the moment I said I wanted to do Ryoma next, it became so hard to write this, and then I started writing the other ones instead. Enjoy!


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